Musical instrument



Oct. 27, 1942. 0, L 2,299,923

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT File i Dec. 6, 1941 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 27, 1942UNHTED OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Otis D. Nail, Molino, Fla. ApplicationDecember 6, 194-1, Serial No. 421,984

3 Ciaims.

My invention relates to musical instruments, and has among its objectsand advantages the provision of an improved guitar so designed as toembody exceptional durability and tone quality, in addition to beingattractive in appearance.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an inside face view of the top of the instrumentillustrating reinforcements associated therewith;

Figure 2 is an inside face view of the back i1- lustrating itsreinforcements;

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional detail view illustrating the manner in which theneck of the instrument is pegged to the instrument proper; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line 55 of Figure 4.

In the embodiment selected for illustration, the instrument includes afront Ill provided with side holes l2. The back I4 is of the samecontour as the front l and the two parts are fixedly connected throughthe medium of a front side I6, a back side l8, center side slabs 2D andcorner blocks 22. All these parts are glued into a unitary structure.

To the inner face of the front ID are glued transverse sills 24, 26 and28. All these sills extend the full width of the front. Similartransverse sills 30, 32 and 34 are glued to the back l4. The sills 30,32 and 34 are located in vertical alignment with the respective sills24, 26 and 28. To the front ID are glued substantially longitudinalbridge strengthening sills 36, these sills having tongues 38 secured incorrespondingly shaped recesses in the sills 26 and 28.

To the front side [6 is glued a back block 4 having a peg 42 securedthereto. A similar block 44 is secured to the back side 18, the blocks40 and 44 being located on the longitudinal medial line of theinstrument.

The neck 46 of the finger board structure 453 is provided with adovetail 50 glued in a dovetail groove 52 in the block 44. The block 44and the neck 46 are provided with aligned bores for the reception of akey pin 54, which key pin is glued to both the neck and the block.Additional key pins 56 and 58 respectively anchor the pin 54 to theblock 44 and the neck 46. Both pins 56 and 58 are also glued inposition.

Both the front Ill and the back l4 are slightly arched and each of aboutone-eighth inch thickness throughout their central areas and thinningslightly toward their perimeters. A box structure in accordance with theforegoing description is characterized by exceptional durability, isattractive in appearance and possesses exceptional tone qualities.Heretofore brace rods have been employed, which brace rods have extendedfrom the dovetail of the neck to the back block. Such reinforcement hasa tendency to pull in the back block in cases where the glued jointsgive away. It is a common occurrence for guitars to become unglued inthe back region because of moisture from the arm of the player, and thecenter brace rod embodies a severe strain on the back block.

Instruments of this nature can not be supplied with heavy reinforcement,sinc such reinforcements tend to deaden the tone of the instrument. Inthe present case, the instrument is reinforced in such manner as not toimpair the tone qualities of the instrument. Th neck 46 is securelykeyed by three pegs and eliminates the necessity of heavy reinforcementsat the center of the instrument. The strings, adjustments therefor, andthe bridge may be of conventional types.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate myinvention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. A guitar comprising a front and a back, front and back side meansconnecting the front and the back, center sid means connecting the frontand the back, corner blocks connecting the center side means with therespective front and back side means, blocks respectively secured tosaid front and back side means, a finger board structure having a neck,a dovetail connection between said neck and said front block, a key pinconnecting the neck with said front block, a key pin connecting saidfirst-mentioned key pin with said front block, and a key pin connectingsaid first-mentioned pin with said neck.

2. In a guitar having a front block, said front block being providedwith a dovetail groove, a finger board structure having a neck, saidneck being provided with a dovetail fitting inside said dovetail grooveand glued therein, a pin connecting said neck with said front block andglued thereto, a second pin securing said first pin to said front block,and a third pin securing said first pin to said neck.

3. In a musical instrument of the string type employing a body and abridge, a front, reinforcing sills secured to the front, bridgestrengthening sills secured to said front and said first-mentionedsills, a front block secured to said body, a finger board structurehaving a neck, a dovetail joint connecting said neck with said frontblock, a key pin connecting the neck with the front block, and key pinsrespectively connecting said front block and the neck with saidfirstmentioned key pin.

OTIS D. NALL.

